What Is the Charedi View on the Phrase “Never Again”?
“Never Again.”Two words. Deeply emotional. Immortalized in Holocaust museums, shouted at rallies, etched into monuments.
To much of the world—and to many Jews—it’s a cry of defiance. A vow that the Jewish People will never again allow themselves to be powerless, vulnerable, or victims. It’s often tied to military strength, national pride, or political awareness. In the secular Israeli context, it’s frequently linked with the strength of the IDF and the existence of the State of Israel as the Jewish people’s “protector.”
But in the Charedi world, the phrase “Never Again” is viewed through a different lens. A more eternal, emunah-based lens. One shaped not by politics or emotion—but by Torah and Mesorah.
Torah Is Our Protection
The Charedi world does not believe that the horrors of the Holocaust can be prevented solely through tanks, borders, or missiles. We do not deny the efforts of those who seek to protect Jewish lives—but we know with unshakable certainty: Only Hashem protects us.
As the pasuk says:
“אם ה׳ לא ישמר עיר, שוא שקד שומר.”“If Hashem does not guard the city, the watchman watches in vain.” (Tehillim 127:1)
“Never Again” can’t be a political slogan. It must be a spiritual commitment. Never again should we abandon our Father in Heaven. Never again should we assimilate into foreign cultures. Never again should Torah be neglected, Shabbos desecrated, and kedushah trampled in the name of progress.
That is how Rav Avigdor Miller zt”l taught it:
“The real 'Never Again' is to never again forsake the Torah. The Holocaust didn’t come because we were weak. It came because we forgot who we were. The more we cling to Hashem, the more He clings to us.”
Hashem Is the One Who Fights Our Wars
The Charedi perspective is not rooted in fear—but in bitachon. We don’t trust in weapons. We trust in Tefillah, in Limud Torah, and in Teshuvah.
Rav Elchonon Wasserman zt”l, murdered in the Holocaust, warned against placing our trust in human solutions. He said:
“If Klal Yisrael builds its house on politics and nationalism, instead of Torah and mitzvos, it will collapse. Only Torah is eternal.”
For Charedim, true security doesn’t come from a strong army—but from a strong connection to Hashem.
“Never Again” — But With Emunah
When Charedim hear “Never Again,” the reaction is often more introspective. It’s not a chant—it’s a plea. Not a rallying cry—but a kabbalah.
Never again will we forget that we are different.
Never again will we try to be like the nations.
Never again will we trade the crown of Torah for the applause of the world.
This is the Charedi “Never Again”—not rooted in nationalism, but in Kabbalas Ol Malchus Shamayim.
Slogans Don’t Stop Tragedy
There is a painful fallacy in the way many secular Jews use the phrase. As if simply saying “Never Again” guarantees safety. As if holding a flag, or building a strong military, or speaking out in the UN will stop a future Holocaust.
But Torah Jews know: Only Hashem controls history.
If, chas v’shalom, Hashem decrees suffering again, no slogan, no tank, no Iron Dome, and no Mossad will stop it. The strongest army in the world cannot stand against Hashem’s will.
It is not human strength that keeps Klal Yisrael alive. It is our Torah, our mitzvos, our davening, and our emunah.
A Warning—And A Reminder
We are not naïve. We see the signs. The rise in antisemitism worldwide—in the universities of America, in the streets of London, in the suburbs of Paris—is real and frightening.
And yet, Charedim do not panic. Nor do we place our hope in coalitions, politicians, or international allies. As it says:
“אל תבטחו בנדיבים, בבן אדם שאין לו תשועה.”“Do not trust in nobles, in man who offers no salvation.” (Tehillim 146:3)
We have seen how fragile human promises can be. The only promise that endures is Hashem’s bris with Klal Yisrael.
Conclusion: “Never Again” Is About Teshuvah, Not Tanks
So yes—we too say “Never Again.” But we say it with trembling hearts and eyes toward the Heavens:
Never again will we forsake the Torah.
Never again will we seek safety in the nations of the world instead of in Hashem.
Never again will we forget that we are Hashem’s people—and He is our only Protector.
And as long as we hold fast to that truth—we will endure.
Footnotes & Sources
- Rav Avigdor Miller, recorded lecture series on the Holocaust and Jewish history. See also "Behold a People" and "Rejoice O Youth".
- Kovetz Maamarim, Rav Elchonon Wasserman, maamar on Zionism and the dangers of secular nationalism.
- Tehillim 127:1 and 146:3 – verses on the futility of human protection and the necessity of trusting Hashem.